Seville Car Hire

Seville has such a wealth of attractions that you may not have the time or inclination to leave the city boundaries. But if you fancy seeing more of Andalucia you'll find a host of historic cities, romantic mountain villages and beautiful countryside within easy driving distance. With the benefit of a hired car you'll be able to visit the fascinating cities of Cordoba, Cadiz, Jerez and Granada. Head south to the hotly disputed rock of Gibraltar or pop across to Morocco from Algeciras.

The Costa del Sol beachside playgrounds of Marbella, Malaga, Fuengirola and Torremolinos are only a couple of hours drive to the south east. And in the Andalucian hinterland you can drive for miles through achingly beautiful national parks without ever bumping into a fellow tourist.

One of the most interesting visitor attractions close to the city is the archaeological site of Italica, the first Roman town in Spain founded in the 2nd century BC. Most of the town is buried beneath the current town of Santiponce, north west of Seville, but you can still see the ruins of the amphitheatre, public bath house and more than 20 mosaics.

If you're a history buff you'll be fascinated by a day out at the ancient town of Carmona, 38 kilometres east of Seville. It held strategic importance as far back as the 8th century BC and its present day treasures include a Roman necropolis containing the remains of 1,000 families who lived here two millennia ago. The town is still surrounded by fortified walls and contains three Moorish fortresses and the impressive Puerta de Seville gateway with its double Moorish arch.

You won't find a more extraordinary example of Moorish architecture than the fabulous Alhambra Palace in Granada, 260 kilometres to the east of Seville. But buy tickets through an agent in advance if you're travelling in high season because this is one of Spain's top tourist attractions and visitor numbers are limited.

If you plan to hire a car, check in advance that parking is available either at your hotel or within easy reach of it as this can be a problem if you're staying in the city centre. And remember that when it comes to car hire companies, cheapest doesn't always mean best.

These are some of the questions you should be asking before booking a car:

Does the company have a dedicated desk inside the airport where you can collect your keys and sort out the necessary paperwork and any problems? There's nothing worse than arriving in the middle of the night to find no car.and no one to complain to! Or will they deliver the car direct to your hotel with no extra charge?

Does the company give a commitment on the quality of its cars are they, for example, all under a certain age?

Will you have to pay the local IVA tax (Spanish VAT) of 16% or is it included in the price?

Does the company offer "no quibble" insurance to cover such things as collision damage and theft? Is unlimited third party insurance and basic personal accident damage for the driver and occupants included?

Will you have to pay an "excess" charge in the event of an accident?

Are any extras such as children's seats and roof racks available and will they be included in the price?